For the time being, we have yet to receive a report of material damage and casualties."
Palembang, S Sumatra (ANTARA) - Landslides and flash flood hit three sub-districts in Lahat District, South Sumatra Province, on Thursday morning after two local rivers overflowed their banks owing to torrential rains.

The landslide struck the section of Parekul Road in Pulau Pinang Village, with its material burying a car, Head of the Lahat District Disaster Mitigation Board (BPBD) Marjono stated on Thursday.

The landslide cut off land communication between Lahat District and Pagaralam City in Pulau Pinang Sub-district, he remarked.

Meanwhile, the flash flood swept through the villages of Tanjung Sirih and Lubuk Sepang in Pulau Pinang Sub-district, villages of Sukarame and Ngulam Baru in Gumay Talang Sub-district, and the village of Gunung Kembang in Merapi Timur Sub-district.

The flood also submerged the section of a national road linking Lahat District to Tebing Tinggi District in Kikim Timur, cutting off land communication between the two districts.

The rivers of Lematang and Kikim overflowed their banks after torrential rains lashed Lahat District in the wee hours of Thursday until morning, causing flash flood in the three sub-districts.

"For the time being, we have yet to receive a report of material damage and casualties," Marjono stated.

He affirmed that the disaster response task force, comprising BPBD officers, Search and Rescue (SAR) workers, and police and military personnel were deployed to the scene to ensure that residents affected by landslide and flood were safe and in good condition. Related news: New Year's Eve flooding, landslides kill 43, affect 409,000 residents

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Translator: Aziz Munajar/Suharto
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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